House Astrande
|faction = Horde|image = Astrandecrest by HeartheHowling.png}} The House of Astrande is a Shalassian noble house founded by Lord Raveis Astrande over 13,000 years ago. Originally its roots stemmed in military affairs, with its progenitor serving as a commander of Suramar's defending forces until his untimely death during the War of the Ancients. Since the subsequent Sundering and the ten thousand years of isolation that kept Suramar seemingly lost to the rest of Azeroth, House Astrande's primary focus has been on the production and distribution of arcwine. The current leader of House Astrande is Lady Seilune Astrande, who serves as its matriarch, the proprietor of the Astrande Winery, and an ambassador of Suramar. House Astrande crest artwork done by the lovely Hear the Howling! History Pre-Sundering House Astrande was founded over 13,000 years ago by its progenitor, Lord Raveis Astrande. Raveis, alongside other Highborne, ventured from the capital of the Night Elf empire, Zin-Azshari, to found the area now known as Suramar. In the region's capital of Suramar City, overlooking the Great Sea, Raveis ordered for a glorious estate to be built that would stand as a testament to House Astrande and those who would carry the name after him. He named it Aubade. Post-Sundering Raveis was the head of House Astrande until his untimely death during the War of the Ancients, where the Lord was cut down by a Felguard commander named Xarzinar. His body was shattered along with his sword, Kal'Serrar, but his son, Ashtal, avenged his father's death and gathered the broken pieces of the heirloom. After the war, the newly-promoted head of House Astrande, Lord Ashtal Astrande, had Kal'Serrar reforged and enchanted the blade with the essence of the new font of power, the Nightwell. With Suramar City now a utopian society, the threat of war no longer lingered, thus leading Ashtal to keep Kal'Serrar stored safely within the walls of Astrande manor for over 10,000 years. Now retired from the Suramari military, Ashtal decided to venture in business. With arcwine becoming a popular way for citizens to sate their hunger and mana addiction, Ashtal decided to use some of his wealth to open a distillery and an accompanying vineyard. For millennia, the business has flourished, offering an array of brews to the Shal'dorei and, as of recently, to other races, as well. The Legion Invasion of Suramar When Grand Magistrix Elisande made a pact with Gul’dan and the Burning Legion, many Shal’dorei noble houses swore fealty to them, including House Astrande. Ashtal declared a ration on the supply of arcwine being produced by the Astrande Distilleries, helping to create mass hysteria among the lower caste, thus keeping them on a tight leash. Generals of the Burning Legion were often seen at Aubade, conversing with Ashtal and Ysune in the sitting room while their daughter, Seilune, stayed hidden in her bedroom. She was secretly disgusted with her parents’ actions and those of Elisande. She viewed the Magistrix’s actions as cowardly, believing that the Shal’dorei should fight against persecution rather than grovel at the feet of demons. As rumors began to circulate that First Arcanist Thalyssra was forming of an underground rebellion focused on liberating Suramar, Seilune became intrigued by the idea and secretly hoped that it was true. Despite having a rebel’s heart, Seilune never sought to join the resistance. She feared the repercussions that could fall upon her should her involvement be discovered. From her lofty estate on the upper division of Suramar City, Seilune could see the mindless Withered who ran towards the city, their teeth barred and hands clawed as they were cut down by Duskwatch sentinels. As she peered at them, Seilune envisioned her own possible fate should her sentiments be discovered. The Insurrection of Suramar Once the dust settled after the Insurrection, the nobility of Suramar were asked to pay for their crimes, and many paid with their own blood. Seilune could not help but be curious of the status of House Luvastrar, another noble House who was affiliated with House Astrande. Seilune and the respective heiress of House Luvastrar, Nalira, were best friends, though the two had parted on bad terms. Though a couple of weeks after the Insurrection without any signs of Nalira and the rest of House Luvastrar, Seilune went Luvastrar manor. To her horror, she discovered tha House Luvastrar, in its entirety, had been eradicated. Seilune did not have time to mourn, however. She knew that it was only a matter of time until House Astrande would be forced to pay for their crimes with blood. Affiliation with the Agents of Suramar With House Astrande facing possible extinction for to their involvement in the subjugation of Suramar and the Shal’dorei, Seilune was desperate to get her family out of the city. From the moment she left Nalira’s estate, she began to plot their escape. Countless scenarios began to flood her mind, and with every step she took back to her own estate, she felt that her world would come crashing down at any moment. With a heavy heart and mind, she decided to stop by a bistro in the promenade in the Promenade where she and Nalira often had brunch and would gossip. She felt it was only fitting, and appropriate, to honor her late-friend's memory. Before entering the establishment, her attention was caught by a flier hanging from a bulletin board outside. It was an advertisement for a newly formed task force created by the Suramari military called the Agents. The Agents of Suramar were to be led by Harleena, an arcanist and spellblade who formerly served the Grand Magistrix, who would bear the title of ‘Director.’ Being an Arcanist herself, Seilune knew that she had the magical prowess needed to assist the military division in her endeavors, and that her involvement could be her House's saving grace. Without a moment to spare, she quickly applied for the task force and hoped for her acceptance--and she was. Though Seilune was accepted into the agency, she worked for them begrudgingly at first. As a member of the Shal'dorei aristocracy, Seilune held the 'highborne' mentality, thinking that her people were superior to all others. But over time, she became quite fond of her fellow Agents, who helped to teach her humility and grace. Subsequently, she found an appreciation for their Horde allies, wishing to know more about them. She began to host envoys to encouarage the Shal'dorei to venture across Azeroth to learn from the others races. Director Harleena, who could see the heiress' natural talent of speaking with others and making connections, appointed Seilune as the task force's Ambassador at one of these envoys--much to Seilune's surprise. As an Ambassador to the Horde on behalf of the Agents and the Shal'dorei race, Seilune takes her position seriously. She acts with the best intentions of Suramar and her people at heart, and has often swallowed her pride and bit her tongue to ensure diplomacy. The Era of Lady Seilune Astrande With the outbreak of the War of the Thorns between the Horde and the Alliance, Lord Ashtal Astrande became increasingly concerned about the future of House Astrande. He knew it was only a matter of time when the Alliance would seek out revenge for the Burning of Teldrassil, and because he had brought ruin to House Astrande by pledging loyalty to the Grand Magistrix and the Burning Legion, Ashtal knew that it would be unwise for him to lead the House during these dire times. This prompted him to name his daughter, Seilune, the new Head of House Astrande. Her involvement with the Agents as the task force's ambassador had brought House Astrande back into the limelight, and her affiliations with other organizations and noble houses would undoubtedly prove vital in ensuring the ongoing prosperity of the House. At first, Seilune was hesitant about the decision of having the mantle passed onto her. At the time she had only been serving as a diplomat for a short while, and there was much that she still needed to learn in order to become an effective leader. But she knew that she couldn't turn her back on her responsibilities. Her family and the legacy of House Astrande depending on her. As the war effort progressed between the Horde and the Alliance, Seilune continued to represent both House Astrande and the agency's ambassador, attending and sitting on various war councils alongside other Horde representatives. But in the midst of the strife between the factions, an old adversary from months prior returned from the shadows. Dvoraak, the man responsible for kidnapping Seilune, Director Harleena, and Silan Reaux and keeping them captive in Felwood, dared to threaten the livelihoods of the agency and the agents within it once more. In an attempt to cause a mass wave of civilian deaths among the Shal'dorei, Dvoraak and his minions infiltrated Astrande Winery and tampered with the arcwine production, releasing a deadly plague into the vats. Once discovered, all production of Astrande arcwine was put to a halt by Seilune, who ordered for a sample be held back for analysis and the rest of the product be destroyed. Notable Names * Lady Seilune Astrande: is a Shalassian ambassador, arcanist, socialite, and the current matriarch of House Astrande. * Lord Ashtal Astrande: The father of Lady Seilune Astrande and the former head of House Astrande. He humbly served the Suramari military during the War of the Ancients as a Spellblade, cutting down Legion forces with his spell-infused sword. He successfully recovered the shattered heirloom of House Astrande, Kal'Serrar, when his father, Raveis Astrande, fell in battle during the War of the Ancients. After the erection of the barrier over Suramar and the ensuing Sundering, Ashtal retired from the Suramari army. He turned his focus to producing fine arcberries at the Astrande Vineyards to be used in the arcwine produced at the family's distillery, Astrande Distilleries. * Lord Raveis Astrande: The late-father of Lord Ashtal Astrande and the late-grandfather of Lady Seilune Astrande, and the progenitor of House Astrande. Raveis was one of the first Highborne to venture from the ancient Night Elf capital of Zin-Azshari and establishing what would be dubbed the "Jewel of the Night Elf Empire," Suramar City. He overlooked the construction of the House Astrande estate, Aubade, and was the first wielder of the family heirloom, Kal'Serrar. He humbly served the Suramari army as a Spellblade, protecting the city from various threats. He did so until his untimely death during the War of the Ancients at the hands of the Burning Legion. In the process, Kal’Serrar was shattered, its pieces collected and kept safe by Seilune’s father, Ashtal, who had the sword repaired after the War of the Ancients. * Lady Lumestia Astrande: The late-mother of Lord Ashtal Astrande and the late-grandmother of Seilune Astrande. Exports The Astrande Winery offers a wide selection of arcwine, including the following: * Baiser de Soleil: A dry, red wine that is light-bodied and oxblood in color. It is made from freshly picked arcberries combined with starlight rose, ground cinnamon, and earthroot. This wine is light-bodied in taste and very versatile, complimenting an array of dishes with ease. * Danse de la lune et des étoiles: A full-bodied red wine that is fruit-forward. The wine is deep violet in color, reminiscent of fine, Shalassian silk. It is made from freshly picked arcberries combined with leyblossom, cocoa, nutmeg, and vanilla. This wine pairs well with dishes with poultry, duck, or any meats on the sweet or savory side. * Fumer dans le miroir: A red blended wine that provides a smorgasbord of flavors, ranging from sweet and savory to smoky and bitter. The wine is deep burgundy in color, straying on the border of being black. It is made from freshly picked shadowberries combined with briarthorn, tobacco, and shadefruit. This wine pairs well with dishes that feature strong tasting poultry, lamb, and lean beef, as well as those which feature a strong, tomato base. Category:Nobility Category:Shal'dorei Nobilty Category:Nightborne